DITCHED: Missing car found in Blue River

February 6, 2013

Whitley County Sheriffâ€™s Chief Deputy Marcus Gatton (left) and Columbia City Police Department Captain Tony Hively look on as a vehicle is pulled from Blue River Tuesday morning. The car was missing since Thursday.Post & Mail photo / Nicole Ott

COLUMBIA CITY â€” A vehicle from an alleged abduction case in Fort Wayne was found south of Columbia City Tuesday morning.

The car, a black Chrysler, was pulled from Blue River at approximately 11 a.m. after employees at Heavy Truck Equipment and Repair, south of Columbia City on Ind. 9, discovered the vehicle in the river.

Police found the vehicle to be linked to an alleged crime in Fort Wayne, which may have been a hoax.

Following the discovery of the vehicle, Whitley County Sheriffâ€™s Chief Deputy Marcus Gatton conducted a telephone interview, and the man admitted to driving his own car into the river.

The owner of the car claimed he was forced into his residence at Point Inverness Apartments Thursday night. He alleged that his hands were bound with duct tape and his apartment was ransacked â€” but police said nothing was missing from the residence.

The man claimed he was then forced into his car, and the alleged suspect dropped him off in Columbia City before leaving with his car â€” the same vehicle found in Blue River.

According to police, the man walked to Speedway Gas Station on Chicago Street, Columbia City, to report the crime, which has been turned over to the Fort Wayne Police Department for investigation.

If found guilty, the man may face charges of false reporting of a crime, a Class D felony, and insurance fraud.

Gatton said the man has not yet admitted to falsely reporting his abduction, but FWPD is expected to further investigate the case.

For a more in-depth look at this story, see the Feb. 6 issue of The Post and Mail. Don't have a subscription? Call (260) 244-5153 or subscribe to our e-edition. For breaking news, sports updates and additional coverage, bookmark the homepage and find us on facebook.